Press Releases

NCSA College Recruiting Releases 2019 State of Recruiting Report

Report finds over 45% of athletes not listed on their college roster the following year

CHICAGO, July 10, 2019 — Nearly half of underclassmen collegiate athletes are leaving their team rosters, according to a new study by NCSA College Recruiting (NCSA). NCSA’s 2019 State of Recruiting report, out today, found that athletes who choose a school based on athletic, academic and personal fit are more likely to stay on their college team.

NCSA compiled and analyzed the college roster data of over 1,400 schools across NCAA and NAIA divisions between 2012 and 2017 and found that over 45% of underclassmen athletes are not listed on their college roster the following year.

NCSA’s research suggests that athletes who focus on finding a school that is a good fit athletically, academically, socially and financially are less likely to leave their team roster. Analysis showed that athletes who used NCSA were 18% more likely to stay on their team roster when compared to athletes who did not use NCSA.

The first-of-its-kind study also surveyed over 20,000 student-athletes, parents, high school, club and college coaches within NCSA’s extensive database to offer a comprehensive analysis of the current college athletic recruiting landscape.

“NCSA is uniquely positioned to offer valuable insights and analysis thanks to the expansive network of athletes, parents and coaches we’ve built over the last twenty years,” said NCSA President Lisa Strasman. “Our hope is that the information in this study can help families and coaches find true success in the recruiting process. It reaffirms the importance of finding the “right fit” for student-athletes so they can thrive both on and off of the field.”

Survey results found several points of confusion amongst athletes, parents and coaches engaged in the recruiting process.

According to report findings, college coaches are evaluating more than just a recruit’s athletic performance. College coaches ranked character as the most important quality in a student-athlete – above athletic ability and academics.

College coaches also emphasized the impact parents can have an athlete’s recruiting process. “Helicopter parents” were one of the most common recruiting concerns from college coaches surveyed by NCSA. “Parental expectations and lack of knowledge are really harmful to student-athletes success,” said one coach.

NCSA’s 2019 State of Recruiting report also explores regional trends in college athletic recruiting. In its analysis, NCSA identified Pennsylvania as the state with most opportunities for potential collegiate athletes, due to the state’s high number of public and private colleges and universities – particularly in Division III. The study also shows states with the highest percentage of in-state and out-of-state student-athletes.

To learn more and read the entire 2019 NCSA State of Recruiting report, visit www.ncsasports.org/state-of-recruiting.

About NCSA College Recruiting (NCSA)

NCSA College Recruiting (NCSA) is the world’s largest and most successful collegiate athletic recruiting network. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Reigning Champs LLC, NCSA leverages proprietary technology and data with professional expertise and personal relationships, connecting hundreds of thousands of college-bound student-athletes to more than 35,000 college coaches nationwide across 34 sports each year.

NCSA is the preferred and trusted recruiting partner for several national governing bodies including USA Baseball, USA Water Polo, United States Tennis Association (USTA), USA Lacrosse, USA Wrestling, USA Field Hockey, USA Track and Field, USA Volleyball and US Youth Soccer.

Learn more about NCSA at www.ncsasports.org.